Individual tea bag



April 3, 1928. 1,665,080

W. T. ABBOTT INDIVIDUAL TEA BAG Filed Jan. 1 28 Fig.1 1.7 .4

Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES WIHJIJIAKT- ABBOTT, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDIVIDUAL TEA nae.

Application filed January 1 4, 1928. Serial No. 246,845.

This invention relates to an improved and novel individual tea bag inwhich is permanently enclosed a small quantity of tea leaves suitablefor brewing a single cup or individual portion of tea.

V Articles of this class now on the market and in use comprise a ha oftextile material holding the tea, with t e neck ofthe bag drawn intofolds suitably held so as to close the bag, and having a short length ofstring to attach the ta or handle to the-closed neck of the ba uoharticles are subject to several de ects. and disadvantages. For example,it is troublesome to initially and properly immerse the bag or keep itimmersed, the entire length'of the strin and the colored and printed tagoften are rawn into the cup in stirring the tea with the spoon, and inremoving the bag from the cup by means of the string, or by means of aspoon, as is frequently necessary, it is difiicult to hold and controlthebag, string and tag, and the infusion is liable to drip u on and soilthe table cloth. When such ac ets are used in restaurants, hotels, or te like, where a supply ofbags is kept in a container of some kind,'thestrings become entangled the necessary identifying tags torn OE and thetangled mass -frequently is thrown away rather than to attempt tountangle the strings. It is sometimes desired, for sanitary reasons, toenclose each bag with its string and tag in a sealed envelope orwrapper, and it is preferable, for the same reasons, to perform this thestring and tag are exceptionally troublesome. This, then, is the stateof t e practical commercial art, and tzlgigh the patented prior artdiscloses unus schemes for employing limp or flexible wire attached atthe neck of a gathered bag simply as an equivalent and substitute for astring, and

operation by automatic machlnery. 7 Here p dis-. closes other devicesinvolving wire associated which also may be readily and cheaply made byautomatic machinery.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a complete tea bag embodyingthis invention;

Figure 2 is anrenlarged view, partly in cross-section, illustrating thepreferred method of securing the stirring shank to the bag; and

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating different methods ofusing the packet.

The construction shown comprises a bag 2 which may be made ofanysuitable open mesh fabric, such for example,' as cheesecloth. Themouth of this bag is closed by being gathered into folds, and it is held10 closed by means of a string 4 or the like, fastened around the neckof the bag. The packet also includes a stirring shank 6 which preferablyconsists of aluminum wire of such size as to be relatively stiff whilestill being capable of being bent by the fingers. This stirring shank issecuredat one end to the bag, preferabl by forcing the end of the wirethrough t e bag just below the string 4 and then bending the end portionupwardly beside the gathered portion of the bag and then across themouth of the bag and downwardl as clearly shown in the drawings, the ntportions of the wire then being crimped or pinched to gri the neck ofthe bag firmly. In cutting o the lengths of wire for individual stirringshanks, a diagonal cut may be made so as to roduce a sharp point whichwill easily penetrate' the bag. The end of the stirring shank oppositeto the bag carries'a tag 8, the shank being passed through a hole in thetag and bent over to form a loop 10. This tag usually bears'the name orbrand of the tea and the name of the vendor.

It wilLbe seen that this tea bag with its stirring shank'and tag forms,so to speak, a unitary device in that thestirring shank has a firm gripon the bag so that the device may be used to perform the functions of aspoon in stirring it, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3, as well aslproviding aneifective means for handling t e be In fact, this stirringtea bag displaces t e spoon and. at the same time provides means formaking a more perfect cup of tea, because by so stirring the tea bag,the water is enabled to percolate all sides equally, produce a betterinkeep the printe tag outside the cup. This arrangement also 15 moreconvenient tofusion and more quickly, and, therefore, the

theine, or active principle of the tea,- can be uniformly and quicklyextracted, and the bag at on ce removed before the tannin orbitterrfirmclple of the tea is released.

e bag also may be inserted; moved about and controlled much moreaccurately and effectively than when a string is used, which is ofadvantage both in submerging the tea initially in the hot water in thecup and also in disposing of the wet bag after the tea has been brewed.If it is desired to leave the tea bagin the cup for a few minutes, theshank may be bent 'over the edge of the cup, as shown in Fi 4, where itwilldefinitely and a normally rigid, bendable stirrin .shank secured atone end to the mouth 0 a the bag.

2. A stirrin tea bag comprising a bag adapted to hol anindividualportion of tea;

themouth of said bag being gathered and closed, and a normally rigid,bendable stir ring shank secured at one endto the gathered portion-ofthe bag.

adapted to. hol

tea bag comprising a bag tea bag comprising a bag an individual portionof tea, the mouth of said bag being gathered into folds and closed,means for holding the mouth of said bag closed, and a normally rigid,bendable stirring shank secured at one end to the gathered portion ofthe ba 4. A stirring tea bag comprising a fabric bag adaptedito hold anindividual portion of tea,'the mouth of said bag being gathered intofolds and closed, and a normally rigid, bendable stirring shank securedat one end to the gathered portion of. the. bag, and adapted to holdsaid portion closed.

5. A stirring tea bag comprising a fabric bag adapted to hold anindividual portion of-tea, the mouth of said bagbei-ng athered intofolds and closed, and a normal y rigid, bendable stirring shank havingone end crimped to the gathered portion of the bag whereblyit is securedto the bag and maintains t gathered rtion closed.

6. A stirring tea ag comprisinga bag of textile fabric adapted to holdan individual portion of tea and having its mouth gathered into foldsand closed, a normally rigid, bendable stirring shank havingone endthereof .3; A." stirring extending through and crimped over thegathered-portion ofthe bagwhereby it is secured to the bag, andla tagcarried by the end of the said-stirring shank opposite to the bag;

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